


Past Jupiter

by captainjellyfish



Category: Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Genre: M/M, merry christmas athf server, rated T for alcohol and drugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:59:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28317867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainjellyfish/pseuds/captainjellyfish
Summary: Err finally decided to confront Ignignokt as to why he's stuck around for so long.
Relationships: Ignignokt/Err
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Past Jupiter

They’d been awake for 21 hours by the time they passed Jupiter, and it’s the only thing that perks Err up enough to keep him awake. Neither of them like sleeping during long trips like this, because they don’t trust the other Mooninite alone with the ship. 

Ignignokt had given up drinking earlier in the night, and kept himself occupied with smoking for the time being. Err had been nursing the same beer for over an hour. He knew the only alternative was to throw it away, but he was comfortable enough and didn’t feel like getting up just yet. He was barely buzzed anymore, but the sleep deprivation was more than enough to make up for it. 

When Err looks over at Ignignokt, Ignignokt does not move to look at Err. Instead, Err watches as Ig takes a long drag off his cigarette and lets the smoke spill out of his mouth and into the air. 

Err was a smoker until it started screwing with his blood pressure, and it was at that point that Ig began insisting Err quit. Err laughed at him at first, but didn’t stop Ignignokt when he bought, yes, _bought_ nicotine patches for Err. He tries to stick with the patches as best as he can.

“Hey, man?” 

“Yes, Err?”

“Why d’you care so much?”

“I…” Ig sounds taken aback, and Err has never heard him sound insecure like this. “Care about what?”

“Me.” Err focuses on the endless stretch of stars before him, extending far past the windshield. He doesn’t get like this, he _never_ gets like this. Neither of them are the sentimental type. That’s why Err wants to know so bad, though, that’s the reason he’s asking. 

“I simply don’t wish to go out of my way to see you fail, is all.” Ig says, ashing his cigarette before lighting a new one. 

Err blinks, deciding Ignignokt’s convoluted answer will not suffice and presses him for a new one. “You sure as hell like going out of your way to see me succeed.” 

Ignignokt doesn’t reply to this immediately. “Is that so wrong?”

“I’m not sayin’ it’s wrong,” Err clarifies. “I just wanna know why. You don’t treat anyone else like that.”

“I don’t feel as though anyone else deserves it,” Ig states plainly, with a coy confidence about him. 

“Why, specifically,” Err begins to pry. “Do I deserve it?” Ignignokt is hiding something from him, and he’s determined to coax it out of him. 

Err knows he sucks. He knows he’s nothing more than a deadbeat stoner with nothing to his name besides a shitty guitar that’s missing a string he can’t afford to replace because he blows his entire welfare check on stimulants, a hypocrite who resents his father despite knowing he’s headed down the same path. He looks at Ignignokt and sees perfection, someone who has everything figured out, even if it’s little more than to just get high and drink cheap liquor. Ignignokt is organized chaos. 

“Err, you’ve kept me grounded the past…” Ig trails off, silently pondering how long it’s been. “I don’t know how long it’s been.” He toys with the cigarette in his hand before taking another drag off of it. “Anyways,” He pauses to exhale the smoke. “I wasn’t well behaved in high school. That day at the bus stop was the only time I’d _consciously_ done something altruistic for someone. I felt bad for you; it felt good to fuck someone up.” 

Ig takes a final drag off his cigarette and ashes it as the smoke leaves his mouth. 

“I’m still pissed you did that,” Err jokes. “I could’a taken care’a myself.”

“Then the next time you’re getting your ass kicked I’ll consider abandoning you,” Ig replies, and they both laugh. “I’m serious, though, Err. Had it not been for you I don’t think I’d be here today. I don’t think Oglethorpe would have had the… willpower to break me out of jail.” 

“I got your back, man.” Err raises his nearly empty beer bottle in a faux toast.

“You asked why you deserve the treatment I give you, yes,” Ignignokt returns to the original point. “I think it’s fair to say you compliment me. You’re bolder than I am; I don’t feel so afraid when I’m with you.”

“You mean that?” Err asks before finishing his beer. 

“I do,” Ignignokt nods. “That’s not to incorrectly claim I ever feel fear, but in a hypothetical situation where one might feel afraid, it helps to be near you.”

Err feels his chest tightening, and his face gets hot. He chalks it up to the mix of sleep deprivation and stale drunkenness.

“I apologize if I’m not making any sense,” Ignignokt sighs. “It’s very, very late.”

“Screw it, man, fuck the formalities,” Err concedes. “I love you, and I’ll always stick with you.” He stands up on his seat now, but it doesn’t do much in terms of increasing his height. “You got my back, and I got yours. Y’got it?”

Ig smiles sleepily, nodding. “Thank you, Err.”

“You’re welcome, now go to sleep.”


End file.
